Identifying problems that female soldiers experience with current-issue body armour

Area of Science:

• Military Science
• Human Factors Engineering
• Anthropometry

Background:

• Female soldiers are an increasing demographic within military forces.
• Current military body armour is predominantly designed based on male anthropometric data.
• This mismatch leads to suboptimal fit and potential compromises in protection for female service members.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the specific challenges and issues faced by female soldiers with Australian Defence Force (ADF)-issue body armour.
• To identify deficiencies in the design, fit, form, and function of existing body armour systems for women.
• To explore problems related to the acquisition, issuance, and educational components of body armour use for female soldiers.

Main Methods:

• A sequential exploratory research design was employed.
• Data collection involved a questionnaire completed by 97 Australian female soldiers.
• Qualitative data were gathered through three focus groups with 33 participants.

Main Results:

• Analysis revealed significant problems with the fit, form, and function of current ADF-issue body armour for female soldiers.
• Issues were also identified concerning the processes of armour issuance and the adequacy of user education.
• Participant feedback highlighted a need for body armour tailored to female anthropometric dimensions.

Conclusions:

• Future body armour designs must integrate anthropometric data specific to female soldiers.
• Acquisition and issuance processes should be informed by female-specific anthropometric data.
• Training protocols for body armour use require review and potential revision to better suit female personnel.